US3635462A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pad-folding machine
Assignee: CURT G JOA
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Filing: 1970-08-21
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Granted: 1972-01-18
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Expires: 1990-08-21
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed herein is an apparatus for automatically folding a pad while a conveyor is moving the pad along the longitudinal axis of a base. The apparatus includes a number of guides mounted on the base to fold the pad in half and to overlap one of the end tabs of the pad across the folded ends of the pad.
Inventors
- 👤 Curt G Joa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 12:44
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F13/00; A61F13/15; A61F13/15577; A61F13/15707; A61F13/15747
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
Apparatus for folding an elongated pad which has a relatively thick body and relatively thin end tabs extending from the ends of the body, said apparatus comprising conveyor means for moving the pad in a direction transverse to its elongation, folding means for folding the pad longitudinally in half about the center of the body and transversely of the direction of its movement along the conveyor to juxtapose the ends of the body, wrapping means for wrapping one of the end tabs across the juxtaposed ends of the folded body and against the side of the folded body, means for folding the other end tab flat against that side of the body which is exposed after the body has been folded longitudinally about its center, said wrapping means comprising means to wrap said one end tab against said other end tab to dispose both end tabs at the same side of the folded pad body, and means for attaching said other end tab to the body before said one end tab is wrapped thereagainst.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
174 words
Apparatus for folding an elongated pad which has a relatively thick body and relatively thin end tabs extending from the ends of the body, said apparatus comprising conveyor means for moving the pad in a direction transverse to its elongation, folding means for folding the pad longitudinally in half about the center of the body and transversely of the direction of its movement along the conveyor to juxtapose the ends of the body, wrapping means for wrapping one of the end tabs across the juxtaposed ends of the folded body and against the side of the folded body, means for folding the other end tab flat against that side of the body which is exposed after the body has been folded longitudinally about its center, said wrapping means comprising means to wrap said one end tab against said other end tab to dispose both end tabs at the same side of the folded pad body, and means for attaching said other end tab to the body before said one end tab is wrapped thereagainst.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
144 words
Apparatus for folding an elongated pad which has a relatively thick body and relative thin end tabs extending from the ends of the body, said apparatus comprising conveyor means for moving the pad in a direction transverse to its elongation, folding means for folding the pad longitudinally in half about the center of the body and transversely of the direction of its movement along the conveyor to juxtapose the ends of the body, wrapping means for wrapping one of the end tabs across the juxtaposed ends of the folded body and against the side of the folded body, said folding means comprising elongated pad-folding guides against which the pad body is pressed by the conveyor means, one of said guides engaging the pad body at its center and the other of said guides respectively engaging the pad body at points remote from its center.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
144 words
Apparatus for folding an elongated pad which has a relatively thick body and relative thin end tabs extending from the ends of the body, said apparatus comprising conveyor means for moving the pad in a direction transverse to its elongation, folding means for folding the pad longitudinally in half about the center of the body and transversely of the direction of its movement along the conveyor to juxtapose the ends of the body, wrapping means for wrapping one of the end tabs across the juxtaposed ends of the folded body and against the side of the folded body, said folding means comprising elongated pad-folding guides against which the pad body is pressed by the conveyor means, one of said guides engaging the pad body at its center and the other of said guides respectively engaging the pad body at points remote from its center.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
136 words
Apparatus for folding an elongated pad which has a relatively thick body and relatively thin end tabs extending from the endS of the body, said apparatus comprising conveyor means for moving the pad in a direction transverse to its elongation, folding means for folding the pad longitudinally in half about the center of the body and transversely of the direction of its movement along the conveyor to juxtapose the ends of the body, wrapping means for wrapping one of the end tabs across the juxtaposed ends of the folded body and against the side of the folded body, said folding means comprising means for lifting the ends of the pad body about its center to an upright position in the course of folding the body in half, thus to expose the sides of the pad body.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
136 words
Apparatus for folding an elongated pad which has a relatively thick body and relatively thin end tabs extending from the endS of the body, said apparatus comprising conveyor means for moving the pad in a direction transverse to its elongation, folding means for folding the pad longitudinally in half about the center of the body and transversely of the direction of its movement along the conveyor to juxtapose the ends of the body, wrapping means for wrapping one of the end tabs across the juxtaposed ends of the folded body and against the side of the folded body, said folding means comprising means for lifting the ends of the pad body about its center to an upright position in the course of folding the body in half, thus to expose the sides of the pad body.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 3 in combination with means for turning the pad from its upright position to a horizontal position after said one end tab has been wrapped across the juxtaposed ends of the folded body and against the side of the folded pad body.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
102 words
Apparatus for folding a pad prior to packaging, said apparatus comprising: a base; means for conveying a pad positioned transversely to its direction of motion; a first guide positioned to engage the center of the pad; second and third guides respectively positioned to engage the underside of the pad to wrap the pad about the first guide; a fourth guide positioned to engage the underside of one of the end tabs on the pad and overwrap the end tab to the opposite side of the folded pad and into abutting engagement with the end tab on the other end of the pad.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
102 words
Apparatus for folding a pad prior to packaging, said apparatus comprising: a base; means for conveying a pad positioned transversely to its direction of motion; a first guide positioned to engage the center of the pad; second and third guides respectively positioned to engage the underside of the pad to wrap the pad about the first guide; a fourth guide positioned to engage the underside of one of the end tabs on the pad and overwrap the end tab to the opposite side of the folded pad and into abutting engagement with the end tab on the other end of the pad.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 5 in which said first, second, and third guides lift the pad to an upright position, in combination with a fifth guide to turn the upright pad to a horizontal position for movement to a packaging machine.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
99 words
The method of folding a pad having end tabs extending outwardly from each end of the pad, said method comprising the steps of: folding one end tab under the main body of the pad as the pad is fed onto a base to a position transverse to the direction of motion of the pad on the base; moving the pad longitudinally along the base; heat sealing the said one tab; folding the pad in half; and overlapping the other end tab of the pad over the ends of the folded pad as the pad is moved along the base.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
99 words
The method of folding a pad having end tabs extending outwardly from each end of the pad, said method comprising the steps of: folding one end tab under the main body of the pad as the pad is fed onto a base to a position transverse to the direction of motion of the pad on the base; moving the pad longitudinally along the base; heat sealing the said one tab; folding the pad in half; and overlapping the other end tab of the pad over the ends of the folded pad as the pad is moved along the base.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-17 | 1975-07-19 | 1976-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-17 | 1979-07-19 | 1980-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-17 | 1983-07-19 | 1984-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |